


The Return of Pink Diamond - A Steven Universe Fic

by LissyWrites



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Character Death, F/F, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:02:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29582775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LissyWrites/pseuds/LissyWrites
Summary: Steven passes on after an extended human existence. Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond suddenly reforms in his place. While happy to see her friends again, she now must mourn the son she never knew and find her place in the world he left behind.
Relationships: Bismuth & Pearl (Steven Universe), Bismuth/Pearl (Steven Universe), Pearl & Pink Diamond (Steven Universe), Pearl & Rose Quartz (Steven Universe), Pearl/Pink Diamond (Steven Universe), Pearl/Rose Quartz (Steven Universe)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

It was like waking from a long nap. Not that I had taken many naps. Gems don't need sleep, but I never deny myself the pleasures of earth – sleep being one of them. When I opened my eyes, I saw many familiar things.

Pearl was staring at me, her blue eyes wide and nearly bulging from her head. Her face was so close our noses were almost touching. Amethyst and Garnet were also hovering over me, though a much more comfortable distance away. Amethyst was side-eyeing me more than she was looking at me, and though Garnet's eyes were hidden behind her signature shades, the way she held her mouth was just as revealing as her eyes would be. Her lips were tight, pursed in what I could only guess was disappointment. Perhaps even pain.

I turned my head to the side and found myself in an unfamiliar place. It was all stark white. The light reflected off it harshly, to the point I wanted to just shut my eyes and fade back into unconsciousness. I still felt intangible, like at any moment, my form would fall into pieces. It was scary but invigorating. It wasn't an unfamiliar experience either. It was then I remembered another face I expected to see:

"Where is Greg?"

It was then that Garnet turned and marched out of the room. Amethyst sighed and wasn't far behind her. Even Pearl moved farther from me, standing up straight and casting her gaze off into nowhere. When she didn't respond, I said her name:

"Pearl?"

She winced as if I had threatened to hit her. Finally, after a few more moments that felt like an eternity had passed, she met my gaze again. This time those big blue orbs were filled with tears.

"He's gone, Rose."

Though somehow, deep inside myself, I knew he was gone – human lives are so short – part of me hadn't expected that answer. My eyes shut of their own accord, holding back the flood of tears that begged to force their way out. It wasn't necessary, but I wanted to ask:

"How long?"

"A long, long time."

Pearl's voice wavered. I could hear the tears in her voice, even if I didn't see them. Though this knowledge padded the hole that Greg left inside me, there was another part of me that still felt… empty. I felt like I was missing. I had woken up, but some part of me was still asleep, or, perhaps, that part had left me behind while I was sleeping. I couldn't seem to recall what that part of me was. It wasn't until I opened my eyes and met Pearl's gaze again that something stirred in me. It was a vague and distant memory, carried off by the missing part of me wherever it might have gone.

"Steven is gone, too."

Steven. That name was so familiar, too, but I had no face to go alongside it. Yet, even as I thought this, that empty side of me burned to life, reacting to that name as if it were its own. Even as it burned, though, it wouldn't reform. Whatever part of me that had answered to that name was gone. All that was left was me.

Rose. Rose was all that was left of Steven.

It was then that Pearl crumpled onto me, wrapping her arms around my delicate form. Her tears soaked my chest, and though my arms still felt as if they might wilt away at any moment, I still wrapped them around her and held her close.

"Welcome… back…"

While it was a positive sentiment, it sounded more like a mourning wail. It was as if Pearl was telling someone 'goodbye' for the last time.

Only then did I let the tears fall from my own eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

They wouldn't let me walk out of the hospital. Instead, I was instructed to stay off my legs for a while longer. It was a welcome reprieve, as I honestly felt as if I was still in the throes of naptime. Garnet, though she wouldn't look at me, she graciously pushed me out of the hospital in a wheelchair. The world didn't seem all that different than when I last saw it, much to my joy. It appeared the Crystal Gems had kept the earth safe, even though I had been gone for such a long time. It was then I began to wonder how long it had truly been.

I peered over to my left, where Amethyst was trudging along beside me. She was staring at the ground, seemingly mentally farther away than she physically was. I wasn't sure how to bring her back, but I figured talking to her might be the best way.

"How long was I gone?"

Amethyst's eyes widened, and she lifted her face to look into mine. As she studied my face, her mouth fell open in a surprised gape.

"Are you serious?"

I was going to respond with a yes when Garnet jumped in with a monotone:

"Steven's 243rd birthday was last week."

I peered up, but I could only see the bottom of her chin. She was still not looking at me.

243 years? A blink of the eye for gems, as far as I was concerned. I peered up at the sky, admiring how blue it was but also admiring how little it had changed since I had last seen it. The earth was as resilient as ever. Still, Steven was…

"Steven was human… wasn't he?"

This time I looked at Pearl, but she was looking in the opposite direction. Her hands were at her face, and her shoulders were shaking. She must have been crying again. This time, Amethyst spoke up.

"Of course he was. What do you think?"

There was venom in those words, but along with the venom… just more sadness. We were coming up to the parking lot. Cars were scattered across the lot, but only one looked like the one we were heading towards. It was a white van with multicolored stripes across the side. Amongst the colors was a name:

Mr. Universe

"Greg's van!"

I did my best to fling myself forward out of the wheelchair, but with it still moving and my legs still wobbly from reforming after such a long asleep, I quickly found myself on the ground. It didn't hurt all that much, but Pearl still yelled out:

"Rose!"

And almost instantly, she was at my side, helping me up and back into the wheelchair. Her face was a beautiful rosy shade, flush from all of the emotions probably raging inside her. Tears also seemed to be a new permanent feature in her eyes. While it was depressing, I couldn't help but think she was more beautiful experiencing such emotion. It seemed they had all become much more… human in the time I was away.

Even after my mishap, it didn't take long for us to get back to moving toward the van. As we neared, Amethyst threw a punch, leaving a small dent in the side panel.

"Stupid van."

I had half a mind to say something to her, but the other half determined it wasn't the best time. Instead, I silently allowed Garnet and Pearl to help me in the van while Amethyst walked over to the other side. Once I was in the passenger seat, I was able to see Amethyst climbing into a small white car parked right next to the van. Pearl took the driver's seat, and Garnet sat in the back.

"Whose car is that? That Amethyst is driving?"

Pearl winced, and though she tried to respond, her words were tumbling out of her mouth in an incomprehensible slurry. Garnet answered instead.

"That's the Dondai. It's Steven's car."

At the mention of his name Pearl whimpered.

"I can drive if you need me to."

Pearl shook her head, cranking up the van and gripping the steering wheel as if it was the only thing keeping her together.

"No, thank you, Garnet. I am okay."

It felt like she was lying, but again, I kept that to myself. Instead, we all silently watched as Amethyst cranked up Steven's car and pulled out of her spot. Then, Pearl did the same, following close behind. As we drove along, I focused on the view. Gems and humans meandered back and forth, living their lives in perfect harmony. I couldn't contain my excitement, especially as I saw some human-gem couples walking together hand-in-hand alongside some fusions laughing and talking out in the open. It was everything I had dreamed. It was a world where everyone could be who they wanted to be. I looked to Garnet and Pearl, grinning wide and hoping to get the same energy back. Instead, they were both solemn, quiet, and mournful. How could the world have finally reached this level of peace, and the Crystal Gems were still so… sad?

Was this not what they had fought for? Was this not the dream gems had died for so long ago? It was. I clearly remembered that's what it was, and seeing all the happiness on the faces of the gems and humans walking around so freely on earth was proof enough of that. But then, why were the Crystal Gems not happy, too?

I was about to ask them myself when Beach City came into view. It was much busier than I remembered it being. Granted, there were a lot more beings than I remembered in general. A proper city had grown up in the once small, insignificant Beach City. Neighborhoods lined the road all the way up to the boardwalk, and in those neighborhoods, I could just barely catch signs of gems and humans intermingling and living in them. Once we were up by the boardwalk, I could see lines and lines of people and gems queueing up at the local businesses, people and gems enjoying the beach and water, and even humans and gems squealing and having fun at the theme park. This wasn't the earth I once protected all that time ago.

It was so much more. It was so much better.

But we weren't taking time to sightsee. Instead, we pulled off over the boardwalk onto the sand. Gems and people alike waved at the van as we drove by, and despite not recognizing any of them, I made it a point to wave back. We pulled around to the other side of the beach, behind the cliffside. There, a little beach house was built on the side of it. I didn't remember the house, but the cliff was plenty familiar, along with the statue carved into its rockface. It was the Crystal Temple.

As soon as our caravan pulled to a stop, I flung the door open. I was down on the sand in a matter of seconds. Pearl called my name in that panicked way she was so prone to do, but I paid little mind to her. My feet pressed into the warm sand. Though it felt my legs might crumple beneath me at any moment, I relished the warmth of beach life. It was something I used to love so long ago. That certainly hadn't changed despite being away for over 200 hundred years.

At that thought, the name Steven came back to mind. I didn't have long to muse over his existence before the sound of spacecraft rushed in overhead. Looking up, a sight I hadn't seen beyond 200 years was beginning to come down. The Diamond ships, all three of them, which could only mean Blue, Yellow, and White were here. Even as I saw it, though, I couldn't quite believe it. Blue and Yellow, sure, but White? Panic was blooming in my chest, but as I peered around me, all the other Crystal Gems appeared calm.

Amethyst had left the Dondai and joined Garnet on the beach. Pearl had made her way over to me, but her focus was the same as the other two. They were all watching the ships land. I couldn't help myself. I couldn't hold back the panic in my voice as I yelled out:

"Why are we just watching them land? Aren't we going to do something?"

Garnet shook her head.

"They're not here to hurt us. They're here to mourn."

Mourn? I glanced at the ships again as they settled into the ocean, causing a few waves to erupt and crash along the shore. The Diamonds didn't mourn. Well, Blue maybe, but there was no way Yellow would, much less White.

"Mourn? What would those three mourn?"

Amethyst scoffed at that.

"You, for one."

Pearl gravely shook her head, then hid her mouth behind her hand. Tears were once again creeping up.

"I called them and let them know about Steven. They said they would try to make it to say goodbye. I don't know how I'll… I'll…"

At that point, she had dissolved into a sobbing fit. Garnet jumped in in the meantime.

"We probably won't have to tell them. Not when we have her."

When I looked to see who she was referring to, her gaze was trained on me. Before I could ask any more questions, though, the main ship was opening.


	3. Chapter 3

Yellow was out first. She was as stoic as always, but the moment her gaze lighted on me, a variation of hate, excitement, and sadness rushed across her face in an amalgamation. Yellow opened her mouth to say something but couldn't seem to find the words. So, she cinched her mouth shut and made her way down to the beach.

The next was Blue. The moment she left the ship, her blue aura engulfed the entirety of the beach. I was dragged down to the beach, tears rushing to my eyes in an unending stream. Pearl was by my side in an instant, but not because she was being forced down. Her eyes were rushing with tears as usual, but otherwise, she was fine. I peered over at Garnet and Amethyst and found them in the same situation. Tears, but they were withstanding the pressure of her aura.

I looked back at Pearl, but it seemed she had already read my mind.

"We've experienced the worst sadness imaginable. Her aura doesn't have the same effect."

"Blue, please."

I looked back to the Diamonds and found Blue had joined Yellow on the beach. Blue's tears hit the beach in powerful dollops, splashing across the sand. She hiccuped before responding to Yellow.

"I'm sorry, Yellow. It's just… we had him for such a short time."

Yellow nodded in agreement and even made a point to grip Blue's hand. I don't think I had ever seen Yellow show such empathy before. Had they become more human, too?

"I know, but just imagine. If it feels short to you… how is it going to feel for-"

But before she could identify anyone, White's heel clicks pulled everyone's attention back to the ship. Her radiance was beyond anything in the known universe. Even as she stood in the daylight, her brilliance outshined the sun, and in all honesty, it was hard to look directly at her. I couldn't stop staring at her, though. Where there had once been an unbreakable grin, there was now a frown.

That is until her eyes lit onto me, still crouched on the beach.

"Steven? No, Rose Quartz… or, are you Pink Diamond now?"

I wasn't sure how to answer. I looked to Pearl for help, but she was staring at White. So, I did my best to stand back up, and rather than answer her question, I asked her one of my own.

"How are you all still alive?"

There was no way they could be. Not when the earth was so perfect. I didn't want to destroy them, but no matter how much I wanted them to understand, I knew the earth may never find true peace as long as the Diamonds existed.

As usual, White seemed amused. Her frown turned up into a grin.

"I could ask the same thing of you, Pink."

It was decided then. To the Diamonds, I was Pink Diamond once more. It was then I took stock of my form. I was positive that when I had awoken, I was Rose Quartz. However, now, it seemed my form took on a mind of its own among the other Diamonds. I was now Pink Diamond. It was a form that didn't feel comfortable but wasn't wholly uncomfortable either. It was too familiar to feel uncomfortable. I had spent most of my life in this form, but now I towered over all of my… friends?

As I looked around my feet, all three of the Crystal Gems were staring up at me. In Amethyst, I saw unrecognition. I was a stranger to her now. With Garnet, I saw anger and betrayal. With Pearl, it was… love and fear. This form was familiar, but it was wrong, too. Even so, I was in no shape to be reforming at will. Even just standing felt like too much work for me. So, for now, Pink Diamond I stayed.

While White was interested in Pink, that was not the reason she was here. Her gaze drifted to Pearl, who had distanced herself from my Diamond form, but as White's gaze fell upon her, Pearl stepped forward. Unconsciously, I reached out as if to stop her but caught myself before I dared touch her.

"Steven's gone. I am sorry. I thought we had more time, but… he was ready to go."

It was then something occurred that I never imagined I would ever see in all my time. White made her way down from the ship entrance and stepped onto the beach. Once she was a mere foot away from Pearl, she knelt down and cupped her hand around her. She formed what seemed to be a protective barrier, and Pearl instantly melted into it, whimpering quietly into the Diamond's hand.

"No, no. Don't apologize. Thank you for letting us know."

Tears were even forming in White's eyes. I couldn't decide if this was beautiful or horrific to watch, and ultimately I decided to look away, instead focusing on the sand grains shifting along the beach.

Thankfully, the moment between Pearl and White ended a few seconds later, with Pearl clearing her throat and speaking plainly.

"We are going to Little Homeworld for the ceremony. Steven had a final message for everyone. We have to get Rose, then we will meet everyone there."

I couldn't help looking up when my name was said. As if on queue, my form altered itself of its own accord, now reforming back to its Rose Quartz self. All eyes were on me in an instant, and once again, I was forced to look away.

White's voice boomed as she spoke.

"Interesting. Are switching forms on purpose, Pink?"

I shook my head, but I still refused to meet White's gaze.

"Interesting… a problem for another day, though. We will go on to Little Homeworld."

With that, the Diamonds made their way down the beach toward what appeared to be a whole other city. It was on the edge of Beach City, separated by a stone wall. That was certainly new, and the name could only have come from a gem. I looked to Pearl, who was already off fetching my wheelchair from the back of the van.

I flexed my toes in the sand, questioning whether I should try walking or not, but by the time I had decided, she had already unfolded the chair and was taking my arm to help me into it.

"Why did you tell them you needed to get Rose?"

"Rosemary. You'll meet her in a minute."

Another Rose? Rosemary? At least the name Steven was familiar. Rosemary had no familiarity to me. It felt as if I had been transplanted into another person's life. My hand unconsciously found my gem. That empty part of me was burning again. I wondered then if that was how Steven felt. Did Steven feel thrown into someone else's life?

Sadness was soon replaced with guilt as Garnet took her place behind my wheelchair, and we made our way painstakingly through the sand to the beach house.


End file.
